Electrical Fire Causes Power Outage in Downtown Mpls

Updated: 04/12/2013 9:00 AM KSTP.com
By: Cassie Hart

Traffic lights were out on several blocks in downtown Minneapolis Friday morning after an electrical fire.

According to Xcel Energy, the power had to be shut off around 6 a.m. due to a fire that started around midnight in a vault underneath the U.S. Bank Plaza building, at 215 South 5th Street. The power was restored around 8 a.m.

Minneapolis firefighters were able to put out the fire, but Xcel had to turn off the power to a section of the city so they could repair the vault.

The outage spread from Washington Avenue to 5th Street.

It impacted about 170 customers, including several businesses. Many people gathered in the lobby of the 40-story U.S. Bank Plaza building. They were not able to use the elevator or escalator.

Some other buildings affected included Ameriprise and Century Link.

Traffic lights in the area were out and drivers had to treat it like a 4-way stop sign.

Some lights are still flashing. Crews are working to re-set those lights.